SILVER CITY >> School Board President Frances Vasquez declined to approve a budget report on Tuesday after she questioned the need for adding $4,500 to the board's expense budget.

Superintendent Lon Streib was discussing the monthly budget report as part of the consent agenda when Vasquez asked why it was necessary to move the $4,500 into the board's account.

The consent agenda item was approved by members Tony Egan, Chris Arvidson and Arnold Torres.

Vice President Mike McMillan voted after Vasquez voted 'no' making it unclear whether he was for or against the motion.

"Putting this money into the board's expense account will ensure that the amount doesn't run out, and we won't have to make another budget change later in the year," Streib said.

The superintendent said the board's budget was there to cover the necessary expenses of the board, such as insurance.

Travel and training for board members comes from another account, as does legal expenses, Streib explained.

Vasquez noted that the budget for travel and training for the board members had been cut by 50 percent this year.

Board members are not paid for serving on the board.

She also questioned Streib's use of the term "general fund" and "instructional fund" interchangeably.

"To me, in my mind, they mean different things," Vasquez said.

"Maybe I should call it something else," Streib said. "But that is just what I call it."

Vasquez said she also could not vote to approve the budget report because of payroll and credit card charges that she did not agree with.

"I'm not comfortable moving the $4,500 to the school board expenses at this time," she said.

"We voted as a board to approve the budget," Board Member Tony Egan said to Vasquez. "We need to stand together as a board. Making a 'no' statement every month, I am not sure that is appropriate."

"You are correct," Vasquez said, "in June I voted 'no,' but as a school board member, I have a legal obligation for this budget. If we run out of money halfway through the school year, the state is going to come down and talk to the school board."

"I do believe we have to have money in the budget for the operation of the board," Egan said.

Board Member Arnold Torres said the $4,500 was not as much as the money the district had spent this year on legal fees.

Streib noted that the legal fees come from a different account on the budget, not from the school board expense account.

The superintendent also noted that the district has already spent $12,000 of the $30,000 budgeted for attorney expenses this year.

"I am also concerned about the legal expenses the district has incurred," said Leslie Fritz, uniserv director for the Southwest Region of the National Education Association – New Mexico.

"We as a union work to resolve workplace conflicts so they don't have to go to the labor board, and cost the district that legal expense," Fritz said.

She also told the board that for the time being, the Silver City members of the teacher's union are operating anonymously, due to repeated harassment in the Silver Schools of teachers who openly held leadership roles in the union.